Majors, minors & more

Quantitative Biology

College of Arts and Sciences

Overview

Biology is the study of all living things—how they reproduce, grow, and evolve and how they relate to each other and to their environment. Biologists examine the chemical and cellular basis of life and its many levels of organization, from molecular to ecosystem. They also study inheritance, molecular genetics, the biology of populations, behavior, the flow of energy in living systems, and evolutionary and ecological relationships.

The certificate in quantitative biology applies computer science, statistics, and mathematical modeling to problems in biological science. It involves equal amounts of biological/life science course work and course work in math, statistics, or computer science.

Strengths of the program

You can join a math, science, and engineering community residence hall at WSU Pullman—share classes with your neighbors, study together, get free tutoring, and use the hall’s computer lab.

Build a strong foundation for graduate and professional schools.

Benefit from educational opportunities that are enhanced by small class sizes and easy access to labs.

Participate in faculty research projects and become familiar with research techniques and the operation of advanced equipment.

Access a wide cross-section of experience in life-science disciplines.

Learn from experts in all the major subdisciplines of biology, including cell biology, molecular evolution, plant genetics, photosynthesis, crop engineering, ecology, electron microscopy, and more.

Take both traditional and specialized modern courses in the field.

Study in modern and well-equipped instructional laboratories.

Featured courses

The certificate in quantitative biology combines a basic grounding in biological science with courses in mathematics, statistics, and computer science. Half the required credits are in biological sciences, with the other half in a quantitative focus area.

Core courses

The certificate has two required core courses that focus on the role of quantitative analysis in the biological sciences:

Intro to Mathematical BiologySeminar in Mathematical Biology

Biology/life science courses

The certificate requires at least four courses in life sciences.

A few examples of courses you could choose from:

Introductory Biology I and IIGeneral Genetics General EcologyPrinciples of Organic EvolutionBiometry

Quantitative focus

The quantitative biology certificate requires at least four courses in mathematics, statistics, or computer science. The quantitative focus can include courses from more than one area; your certificate advisor can help identify the best sequence of courses to meet your goals.

Graduation requirements

See the WSU Catalog for degree requirements and talk with your academic advisor about planning and scheduling your courses. All students must meet requirements as outlined in the catalog in order to graduate.

Scholarships and financial aid

A variety of state, federal, and university-sponsored programs are available to help students with educational costs.

For all students at WSU

Washington State University awards millions of dollars in financial aid and scholarships to students every year based on financial need, academic merit, or a combination of the two.

To get all the financial help WSU can provide, start by doing these two things:

Complete the University's scholarship application when you apply for admission so you can be eligible for scholarship consideration.

Complete the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) so WSU can consider you for aid (scholarships, grants, loans, etc.) based on financial need.

For students interested in quantitative biology

Most of the University's academic colleges and departments award scholarships to students majoring in their areas. Some also offer supplemental awards to students who are interested in doing faculty-mentored research or joining summer research programs.

Some of these opportunities require separate applications or additional materials. Check our page on scholarships for specific interests to see what's available and how to apply.

Biology facilities

Exceptional research labs

Owen Science and Engineering Library, the largest science and engineering library in the Northwest

Conner Museum of Natural History, which contains more than 56,000 specimens in research and display collections

The Science Learning and Instruction Center, a resource center for science majors that provides computer access, auto-tutorial programs, and other media-assisted learning programs

The Franceschi Microscopy and Imaging Center, a state-of-the-art facility where students learn electron microscopy

The 800-acre Hudson Biological Preserve at Smoot Hill (15 miles from Pullman), which serves as a biological field station for students and faculty

The James Entomological Collection, comprised of more than a million specimens of insects

Mycological Herbarium, which contains more than 65,000 specimens of fungi

Suggested strengths, interests, and preparation

• Good high school preparation in science and math; at least three years of science course work in high school recommended, including biology, chemistry, and physics• Good high school preparation in communication, including keen skills in reading, writing, and reasoning skills• Computer experience